Benefits to SA from digital television would include high-definition quality and more channels, he said.

“Terrestrial signals found in traditional TV broadcast tend to be more expensive. There is significant benefits that it is offered by digital TV, including economic benefits, better access to coverage and it becomes quicker and more efficient," he said.

He added that some African governments were hesitant to rollout digital TV, as they feared to lose control over what is broadcast.

“Governments think that if they will not be able to control what channels are broadcast over digital signals, but there can be regulation. Digital signal offers a better quality of service,” he said.

South Africa’s rollout of digital TV had been hampered by delays after an initial deadline of June 17 2015 passed.

The country’s digital broadcast migration project had been dogged by hold-ups, with the company behind the rollout of set-top boxes even temporarily halting production of the boxes needed to ensure signal to television sets.